RAWALPINDI: Despite ongoing criticism of his leadership, Babar Azam claimed that winning games for his nation had always come before achieving personal goals.
In an exclusive interview, Babar stated that winning matches for Pakistan had been his major aim as Pakistan looks to defeat New Zealand in the second One Day International (ODI) today.
“I’ve never focused on achieving certain goals. My primary goal has always been to perform well for the team and give performances that help my team win games. Playing with that objective helps you reach milestones along the road.
It should always be the goal to deliver memorable performances. When asked how pleased he was to become the fastest hitter to amass 12,000 runs in international cricket, the captain responded, “These milestones and records are results of that philosophy.
“I have no personal aspirations. I want to work hard for the success of the nation. I want to succeed for the squad and the nation every time I step onto the pitch. I’ve never concentrated on breaking one record over another.
Performance entails receiving these items. But winning games and competitions for the nation and making my performance matter have always been my main goals, he said.
When asked about Fakhar Zaman’s words of admiration for what he and Mohammad Rizwan had accomplished for the nation, he responded that they were an accurate reflection of true teamwork.
“What Fakhar said is representative of how we function as a team. We support and motivate one another. We spend far more time together than we do with our families, therefore in order to form a strong team, it’s critical to support one another and take pleasure in each other’s accomplishments. We support one another in an endeavour to achieve the best outcomes for the group and the nation,” he said.
Babar steadfastly declined to provide any information regarding Shan Masood’s terrible performance in ODI cricket, where he has so far scored 112 runs in seven games and averaged just 16 runs per innings.
I want to hold the cards closer to my chest at this moment, he said.
